Lightning Send Downie and Wishart to Norfolk

NORFOLK, Va. – The Tampa Bay Lightning, NHL parent club of the Norfolk Admirals, have reassigned right wing Steve Downie and defenseman Ty Wishart to the Admirals, Lightning Executive Vice President and General Manage Brian Lawton announced today.

Downie, a 5-foot-10, 192-pound native of Newmarket, Ontario, posted one goal and three points with 34 penalty minutes in 11 games after being recalled from Norfolk on January 26. On the season, Downie has three goals and five points with 54 penalty minutes in 23 games with Tampa Bay.

Downie was acquired by the Lightning from the Philadelphia Flyers on November 7. The 21-year-old has appeared in 29 NHL games this season between the Lightning and Flyers, scoring three goals and three assists with 65 penalty minutes. Downie has appeared in 61 career NHL games between Tampa Bay and Philadelphia, recording nine goals and 18 points with 138 penalty minutes. He also appeared in six games with the Flyers during the 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs, registering one assist and ten penalty minutes.

Downie has eight goals and 17 assists for 25 points in 19 games with Norfolk this season. When combined with his four games with the Philadelphia Phantoms earlier this season, Downie has nine goals and 24 assists for 33 points in 23 AHL games in 2008-09. For his AHL career, Downie has 14 goals and 41 assists for 55 points in 45 games between Norfolk and Philadelphia.

Wishart, 6-foot-4, 205 pounds, appeared in three games with the Lightning after being called up on February 16. He registered an NHL career high with 15:52 of ice time last night with Tampa Bay in Carolina.

Wishart has appeared in his first five career NHL games this season with Tampa Bay, recording one assist. He made his NHL debut on January 3 versus Carolina and then notched his first NHL point with an assist on January 21 versus Buffalo. The 20-year-old was acquired by the Lightning from San Jose on July 4, 2008. He was drafted by the Sharks in the first round, 16th overall, in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.

Wishart has appeared in 46 games with the Admirals this season, recording one goal and four points with a plus-2 rating. Wishart scored his first professional goal on December 19 against Albany. In 51 career AHL games between the Admirals and Worcester Sharks, the Comox, British Columbia, native has one goal and four points.

The Admirals will hold a hockey doubleheader today at Scope. At 3:00 p.m., the heroes of Admirals past will skate at Scope once again as the second Admirals Alumni Game takes place. Gates open at 2:00 p.m. The present-day Admirals will then renew acquaintances with the Binghamton Senators at 7:15 p.m. A ticket to the 7:15 p.m. game gets you into the Alumni Game, as well. For more details, please visit norfolkadmirals.com.

To purchase tickets to any Admirals game, you may visit the Scope Box Office weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., visit any Ticketmaster outlet, call Ticketmaster at (757) 671-8100 or visit Ticketmaster online at www.ticketmaster.com. Don’t miss a minute of the action by purchasing your 2009-10 season tickets today. Season tickets start at just $42 per month! Stop by the Admirals’ Administrative Offices at Scope, call (757) 640-1212 weekdays from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. or visit norfolkadmirals.com anytime!